Mapping Farmed Landscapes from Remote Sensing

To overcome the critical lack of detailed ecological maps needed for managing agricultural landscapes, we developed Farmscapes: the first large-scale, high-resolution map that identifies ecologically vital rural features, including often overlooked elements like hedgerows and stone walls. We achieved high accuracy in mapping key habitats with a deep learning model trained on aerial imagery and expert annotations. As a result, this work enables data-driven planning for habitat restoration, supports the monitoring of key initiatives like the EU Biodiversity Strategy, and lays a foundation for advanced analysis of landscape connectivity.